The present invention relates in general to firearms and ammunition, and in particular to a plastic ammunition cases, ignition control, plastic ammunition cases with ignition control, cases with ignition control and reduced powder volume for sub-sonic ammunition, plastic cases with ignition control and reduced powder volume for sub-sonic bullets, sub-sonic bullets, jet bullets, rocket bullets, mixed rocket/jet bullets and multi-function bullets (including explosive, guided and penetrating), and laser remote steering of low cost projectiles. It also elaborates the safety trigger described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,441,362 and any such trigger like control in any other arrangement.
From shotguns to rifles to handguns, firearms have proven to be a valuable tool for law enforcement and self-defense. Sadly, however, firearms have also proven to be a valuable tool for criminals, who use them to threaten, injure, or murder their victims. In addition, many people are injured or killed each year through accidental discharge of firearms, including children playing with a parent's gun.
Attempts to solve these problems include trigger locks and gun safes. While they are of some help, both solutions are imperfect. Trigger locks and gun safes, for example, keep unauthorized users (particularly children) from operating a firearm, but they can also interfere with legitimate users' ability to respond quickly to a deadly threat. Further, because a criminal can steal a firearm or a gun safe and remove the lock at his or her leisure, trigger locks and gun safes do little to prevent stolen firearms from being used in further crimes.
Plastic cases for firearms, unique and improved projectiles, laser steering, use of plastic cases in place of the common metallic case (brass, plated steel, or steel) have been proven to substantially reduce the weight of a fully loaded round of ammunition. However wear, buildup of powder residue in the action and gas operated components along with heating and accuracy remain problems. In addition in ammunition built to provide low noise, low flash, and meant to launch sub-sonic projectiles (bullets) have very poor accuracy. Erratic cycling of weapons firing sub-sonic cartridges remains a serious problem. Also it is desirable to able to steer a low cost projectile in flight and to initiate acceleration while in flight.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide firearms with improved protection against unauthorized use, cartridges made with plastic in whole or in part with extended or frontal ignition, rocket and/or jet projectiles (bullets) in which external ballistics can be changed and steered. It also desirable to provide reduced internal volume cartridges, including such reduced volume cartridges with extended flash tubes to initiate ignition at the front of the cartridge proximate to the bullet or projectile.